A retired police officer testified Monday in the murder trial of Duane ‘Keffe D’ Davis, revealing what Tupac Shakur’s dying words were after the rapper was shot multiple times in 1996. Garry Dale, a former Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officer, told prosecutor Marc DiGiacomo that he was with Shakur in the ambulance as it transported him to the hospital.
Dale testified that he was attempting to gather information from Shakur about the shooting, asking him to identify his assailants. According to Dale, Shakur responded, “No, we’ll take care of it.”
Duane Davis is on trial for allegedly orchestrating the drive-by shooting. Prosecutors claim the shooting was retaliation for an earlier assault by Shakur and his entourage on Davis’ nephew, Orlando Anderson. Davis is the only person to have been charged in connection with Shakur's death. He faces a potential life sentence if convicted of murder with the use of a deadly weapon with the intent to promote, further, or assist a criminal gang.
Davis has pleaded not guilty. His defense attorney, Michael Sanft, argued in court that the state relies heavily on Davis' own statements, suggesting his client is prone to exaggeration. Sanft also questioned the thoroughness of the investigation, noting that Dale did not write a report about his initial traffic stop of the vehicle carrying Shakur and Suge Knight on the night of the shooting.
Prosecutors stated that while Davis did not pull the trigger, he planned the shooting and supplied the weapon. The defense contends the state cannot prove Davis' involvement in the murder beyond a reasonable doubt.